Discharge against medical advice in rural and remote emergency departments: views of healthcare providers.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to explore, in one remote hospital, emergency department healthcare providers' experience and perceptions of the factors surrounding a patient's decision to discharge against medical advice (DAMA). The secondary objective was to gain insight into staff experiences of the current protocols for managing DAMA cases and explore their recommendations for reducing DAMA incidence. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving a survey and semi-structured interviews exploring healthcare providers' (n=19) perceptions of factors perceived to be influencing DAMA, current practice for managing DAMA and recommendations for practice improvements. Health professionals (doctors, nurses, Aboriginal Health Workers) all worked in the emergency department of a remote community hospital, Queensland, Australia. Responses relating to influencing factors for DAMA were provided on a three-point rating scale from 'no influence/little influence' to 'very strong influence'. DAMA management protocol responses were a three-point rating scale from 'rarely/never' to 'always'. Semi-structured interviews were conducted after the survey and explored participants' perceptions in greater detail and current DAMA management protocol. RESULTS: Feedback from the total of 19 participants across the professions presented four prominent yet interconnected themes: patient, culture, health service and health provider, and health literacy and education-related factors. Factors that were perceived to have a strong influence on DAMA events included alcohol and drug abuse (100%), a lack of culturally sensitive healthcare services (94.7%), and family commitments or obligations (89.5%). Healthcare provider recommendations for preventing DAMA presented themes of right communication, culturally safe care (right place, right time) and the right staff to support DAMA prevention. The healthcare providers described the pivotal role the Indigenous Liaison Officer (ILO) plays and the importance of this position being filled. CONCLUSION: DAMA is a multifaceted issue, influenced by both personal and hospital system-related factors. Participants agreed that the presence of ILO and/or Aboriginal Health Workers in the emergency department may reduce DAMA occurrences for Indigenous Australians who are disproportionately represented in DAMA rates, particularly in rural and remote regions of Australia.

Central serous retinopathy and hand-foot-mouth disease: coincidence or causation?

INTRODUCTION: The clinical and pathological correlation between hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) and ocular complications has not yet been established. However, individual case reports indicate a trend that may be the emergence of a new burden of the previous self-limiting virus. This virus is particularly prevalent in childcare centers and poses an infectious disease risk for this workplace. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this case report is to describe an unusual clinical record of a patient who developed central serous retinopathy while unwell with HFMD. Discussion of management strategies for this workplace, its staff, and visitors is also included. METHODS: This was an observational case report that was identified and reported retrospectively. For comparison, a search of the literature to identify similar ocular complications of HFMD was also undertaken. Results from this search, in addition to international data and prevention and management strategies are also provided. RESULTS: A total of 13 individual case reports with ocular associations, including this clinical record, were identified in the literature worldwide. The median age was 33 years, and three patients (23%) were female. No treatment or management guidelines for ocular complications of HFMD have been identified. CONCLUSION: Severe and potentially life-threatening complications of a seemingly harmless childhood illness are represented sporadically in the literature. The requirement for research and evaluation into this emerging occupational hazard area is necessary for improved prevention, management, and treatment strategies to be developed.